Let's shake off the Monday blues and get our book talk on! This week we're going to grab our passports and head abroad to our favorite settings in books. We've all read a book and sighed in sadness that we're not there. Authors have a way with words that make you feel like you're really there but you look up from your book. You're still at home. Bugger. But books are the next best thing. We've traveled to many places with these characters and we think now is a great time to share our favorite places! 
We're going to be honest here, most books are set in America. America has some incredibly beautiful places, but there's also some inspiriting and historical places worldwide. 

If you're not a traveler, then you know a road trip story isn't for you. But sometimes the experience is more than just seeing places, it's meeting the people. Tasting the food. Learning a new language. Discovering the history. Traveling is truly an incredible experience. When you go to new places and put yourself in a completely different setting, you find out more about yourself that you ever knew. You gain confidence, wisdom and smarts. You learn how to budget your money and how to take care of yourself, how to ask for help, and learn so much about different cultures. When you're reading a character doing all this, you do all this right along with them. You grow with them. The world can be a scary place, but it can also be full of so many wonders and such beauty, some very friendly people and delicious foods.
Sometimes travel also makes you appreciate where you live now. You may be sick and tired of your home town but when you're back from a long travel - boy, are you glad to be back. You'll miss home comforts and realize how lucky you can be. Some places can be hard to live in so being home again is a great thing.

So we're going to share our favorites - and don't forget to let us know which ones you liked too!



>> Paris, France (Anna and the French Kiss)



Ooh La La! The city of love. If you've read Anna and the French Kiss then you'll know why we put this on the list. Stephanie Perkins wrote this book with a huge love for this city and you can tell as it really shines through with this story. The main character, Anna, is sent to school in Paris and we have to say, we're very jealous! She sees the real Paris and has the full experience while she's there. And when she does, we do too, and we like! Paris is a beautiful city and we were fans of it before the book but Anna and the French Kiss revived our love for this incredible city. The food, the history, the buildings, the Eiffel Tower. J'adore le Paris!


>> Seattle, USA (Thoughtless)

In the heart of the Washington greenery lies Seattle, commonly known as the Emerald City. Seattle has been gaining in popularity in literature since the Twilight series was set in a small town not too far from it. Soon thereafter, Fifty Shades of Grey followed suit. And while a lot of controversy has been raised over both series, and the literary merits of both are still heavily debated, there is no debate where the city itself is concerned. And nowhere does it shine through as much as it does in the "Thoughtless" series. At times it's difficult to make a city appear unique - this is usually reserved for the countryside. But the "Thoughtless" series achieves in making Seattle seem a city like no other. The mountains in the distance are breathtaking, the space needle is iconic, and the skyline is beautiful. "Thoughtless" also includes in its story many of Seattle's local attractions, such as the Bumbershoot festival on Labor Day weekend, making Seattle top of the list of our list of places to visit! A city with friendly people, great nightlife and cute little markets. What more could you ask for? (And if Pete's Bar did exist - we'd be there every night!)



>> Tokyo, Japan (Geek Girl: Model Mayhem)



How can you not be fascinated by Tokyo? This seems like such a weird yet wonderful place. Such incredible sights, Tokyo seems like it's a completely different world. That's the beauty of travel though, being somewhere so unusual that you learn so much about other cultures and try many new things. Harriet in Geek Girl: Model Mayhem gets a modelling job and travels to Tokyo and experiences many things while she's there. Although she didn't entirely appreciate her time there, she still got to see this beautiful city and we got to see it with her. It's an overwhelming place and it's a place we should all get the chance to visit one day. When we can afford it.


>> Amsterdam, the Netherlands (13 Little Blue Envelopes)

Well, there's never a dull moment in Amsterdam! We learn a lot about this place in 13 Little Blue Envelopes and Ginny certainly sees it all. She stays in a boat hotel and visits every museum you can think of. It's home to such stunning buildings and such rich history! But the phenomenal and breathtaking views in the day are just the beginning of an action-packed holiday. The nightlife here is where it's at! The lit-up canals, the parties and the outgoing people, you're bound to have a great laugh. And yes, Amsterdam is know for it's Red Light District and drug use but that actually is what attracts a large crowd of people every year. If that doesn't interest you, then who cares? It still has it's incredible sights and relaxing parts which gives you the break from your everyday life. It's another world and it's full of such life! If Ginny can survive here and love it then you won't have a problem. I'm no party-goer but I had a great time when I went too. Everyone should go here at least once.

>> Scotland, UK (Harry Potter)

Scotland is the home to the one and only Hogwarts school, and even though it's not visible to us muggles, the scenery is certainly something to see. It's magical enough with it's gorgeous sights, hills and steam trains. If you ever get a chance to visit the United Kingdom, Scotland is a place to consider. Get away from all the hustle and bustle of everyday life and take a relaxing journey into the highlands, or for you adventurous lot, maybe consider a hike. The search for Hogwarts is a must! 

>> Prague, Czech Republic and Marrakesh, Morocco (Daughter of Smoke and Bone)





Between the golden city that is Prague, and the land of dust and starlight, as Karou christens Morocco in "Daughter of Smoke and Bone", the wanderlust this book inspires is on the serious side. Laini Taylor should be awarded an honorary PhD in descriptions-that-make-us-want-to-go-places, regardless of our previous familiarity with these places. From the ethereal peacefulness of sunsets on the rooftops in Prague, to the bustling markets amid the sloping dunes in Marrakesh, the enchanting atmosphere in "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" leaves you half convinced you are there without ever having to leave the room. Don't take our word for it. Give the series a chance and be startled when you put the book down and realize you never even left the room. It's just that convincing.


>> All across the USA (Amy and Roger's Epic Detour)

While on the subject of so-real-it's-almost-like-I'm-there, "Amy and Roger's Epic Detour" does this for the entirety of the United States. The road trip book to rival all road trip books, it tells the story of a pair of acquaintances who take a scenic route across the United States, making slow progress from California to Connecticut. Many detours are, of course, guaranteed along the way. Both Amy and Roger venture to make each state memorable in its own way, and succeed spectacularly in this task. The wanderlust this book inspires takes the term to a whole new level. Proceed with caution: you might just find yourself embarking on an impromptu road-trip before even realizing what has happened. It's just that inspirational.


>> Verona, Italy (Romeo and Juliet)

And thus Verona became the city of (doomed) love. In one fell swoop, this quaint Italian city became notorious not only for its vast piazas and quaint houses, but also for a pair of star-crossed lovers whose love blossomed and died on the streets balconies of Verona. What is perhaps the most spectacular thing about it is that to this day, the city remains virtually unchanged. Sure, Juliette's balcony is swarming with tourists and the wall of the building is covered in graffiti, but the city itself exudes an old-town feel and stands as a testimony to many centuries gone by, and to countless lovers who have found each other on its streets. 


>> Derbyshire, England (Pride and Prejudice)

We'll admit it: it's partly the famed-and-fabled libraries of Pemberley that landed "Pride and Prejudice" on this list. We are avid readers, after all. But the many beauties of Derbyshire as described by Elizabeth Bennet on her visit with the Gardiners make us long for an English countryside more than a five-star luxury resort in the Caribbean. From the vast and expansive natural wonders, to the quiet serenity of the county as a whole, Derbyshire is depicted not only as a place for a second chance at love, but also as a perfect hideaway from everyday concerns. Derbyshire is painted as escapism in its purest, undiluted form. And we for once would love to see it.


>> Petra, Jordan (Appointment with Death)

It's not that difficult to pick an exotic destination from the great many Agatha Christie books out there. From "Murder in Mesopotamia" to "Death on the Nile", Dame Christie has made countless contributions to wanderlust in literature. It's no wonder, really, given that she's spent a good part of her life following her second husband around on archaeological digs around the world. The descriptions of places in Agatha's books are therefore not only vivid and expressive, but also historically and anthropologically significant. As her detectives struggle to understand the many intricacies of human nature on a microcosmic level, so does the the human condition unravel and expand on a macrocosmic one. The cultural impact is never more significant than in "Appointment with Death", which is set on an archaeological dig in Petra, Jordan. You won't find it in your average travel guide. But you will want to visit it after seeing it through Agatha's eyes.




Don't leave for that trip just yet. Tell us about your favorite places you've fallen in love with by reading about them in books. Do you prefer to daydream and read about a place before visiting it, or do you look up books about the place after having been there? Do you prefer more local or more exotic destinations? Cities or countryside? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below, or find us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.